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South Carolina Roads Cost Drivers Millions

Most motorists have a few choice words to say when it comes to the condition of most South Carolina roads, but few fully understand just how much the poor condition of the roads is actually costing them. It’s estimated that drivers in South Carolina spend approximately $3 billion in car repairs that were the result of road conditions every single year. That works out to about each drivers spending $1,300 to fix the damage done by potholes and other problems year after year.

The data was collected by TRIP, a national transportation advocacy group.

When they collected their data, TRIP including things like elevated operating costs, congestion related delays, poor road conditions, and traffic crashes to determine how much South Carolina roads cost drivers.

It’s the group’s belief that if South Carolina invested in improving traffic conditions, the state would not only have much happier drivers, but that they would also see a substantial increase in traffic safety, a decrease in the annual traffic rate, as well as some long-term economic growth.

The TRIP report states that, “46 percent of major roads and highways (state-maintained Interstate, primary and secondary routes) are in “poor” condition. That is a significant increase from 2008, when 32 percent of the state’s major roads were rated in poor condition. One-fifth of South Carolina’s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.”

You should plan on spending even more time making your way to and from work. Trip says that since the state hasn’t managed to keep up with the ever increasing traffic flow, the amount of congestion and delays experienced by motorist has increased. The organization estimates that throughout the year, South Carolina’s traffic congestion costs motorists an estimated $775 million in both lost time and fuel.

South Carolina road system makes liberal use of bridges which seems like a good idea until you consider that 21% of state’s bridges show significant signs of wear. Many fail to meet the design standards set by national transportation organizations and should be completely rebuilt. Most bridges have at least one problem which can include an inadequate amount of clearance, dubious alignment, pavement issues, or narrow lanes.

When it comes to annual traffic fatalities, South Carolina reports some of the highest numbers in the state. The transportation department estimates that for every 100 million vehicles on the road, there will be 1.76 traffic fatalities. The national average is 1.13. Anyone who frequently uses South Carolina’s rural roads is at an even bigger risk of getting into a wreck, were the average number of wrecks was 2.99 fatalities for every 100 million vehicle miles of travel.

“As someone who drives these roads every single day, I find this information alarming, particularly since so many of these fatal car accidents could have been prevented,” said Joseph Sandefur of joeandmartin.com/, managing partner of a top personal injury firm with an office headquartered in South Carolina. “My hope is that if enough South Carolina residents file personal injury lawsuits against the state, something will finally be done about the deplorable road commissions.”

If you suffered injuries in a car accident, your attorney will help you take the steps needed to get the settlement you deserve.